Nightgown



Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICEV NIGHTGOWN NormanGrober, New York, N. Y.

Application November 19, 1949, Serial No. 128,368

1 Claim. (Cl. 273') This invention relates to improvements in ladiesundergarments and more particularly to improvements in the constructionof shoulder straps or shoulder suspension members used in connectionwith nightgowns, slips, brassires, etc. Such shoulder straps areconventionally made of non-elastic material at present time, do notadjust themselves to the wearers comfort and will not conform to themovements of the body in walking, resting, sleeping, stretching, etc. Itobviously is impossible to adjust these straps each time it would becomenecessary. The result is in many instances a broken shoulder strap,which can become very embarrassing to the wearer, or discomfort at thetop of the shoulders, where the shoulders support the garment, or theseams may pull or break. Furthermore, the straps have a tendency to slipoff the shoulder.

It is a main object of this invention to elasticize the shoulder strapsof an undergarment.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide shoulder straps onladies garments which will overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

It is another object of this invention to provide shoulder straps, whichwill have one or more elastic elements incorporated therein.

It is still another object of this invention to provideaesthetic-looking shoulder straps for undergarments, which will giveunder all conditions, and which will add to the good appearance of thegarment.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for theirattainment will be more apparent from the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,illustrating certain embodiments of which the invention may be realized,and in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a typical example of a garment, such as a night gown,according to the invention, which is worn with complete comfort undermany changing conditions, while the person is lying down;

Fig. 2 is a partial upper view of a night gown having shoulder strapsembodying two elastic elements in each shoulder strap;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a shoulder strap taken on line 3--3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial upper view of a slip having narrow shoulder strapswith one elastic element in each strap, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through a shoulder strap taken on line 5--5of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is shown inFig. 1 a lady ll), wearthe garment as at 21.

ing anight gown II. The lady is shown on a bedor couch l2 in a recliningposition, resting against pillows [3. Her arms 14 are shown as placedabove her head, this providing a condition requiring the utmost incomfort, especially at the shoulders it: with the shoulder straps I6.Resting thus on a couch or bed, it will be seen that any stretching ofthe upper body, or stretching of the arms as shown, will cause a pull onthe shoulder straps, while the weight of the body resting within thegarment will prevent the garment from giving or adjusting. Conventionalstraps will make the position shown very uncomfortable in a short timewithout the person having to resort to pulling up of the garment.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, there is shown such a garment ll, having thebodice 20 and the gown portion 2|. The shoulder straps l6 consist of thecenter portion 22 of shirred material, the lace edging 23 and elasticbands 24 sewn in at the juncture 25 of the center portion 22 and theedging 23. Stitches 26 are applied preferably while the strap is instretched condition. The shoulder straps I6 are conventionally securedto In Fig. 2, lace material is shown for the edging 23, but it isunderstood, that other material, contrasting or otherwise, may be used.Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate shoulder straps 30 in conformity with theinvention. In this embodiment of the invention, each shoulder strap 30is shown with one elastic element 3| in the center of a suitable shirredribbon or band '32, secured by stitches 33. In this case, again, theshoulder straps 30 are secured in any conventional manner at 34 to thegarment 35.

Referring to the application of the invention to a nightgown, when thesleeper twists and turns, then only the shoulder members of the gownwill follow the twisting of the body and conform to that part of thebody in contact therewith, without affecting or stretching the remainderof the gown. That is, the elastic members of the shoulder straps have acombined resistance to stretching sufficient to support the weight ofthe gown and elongate only in response to the application of additionaltension thereto. The most common, disadvantage of nightgowns is thepulling at the straps or shoulder members where they are attached to thebody or bodice of the gown. By elasticizing the shoulder strap, thelatter will stretch and relieve the straining points.

The shoulder straps may be entirely elasticized, or a portion of eachthereof only may be elasticized, for example, the front, rear or topcenter section or portion of each strap member, only, may be elasticizedand the remainder thereof may be non-elastic.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive andillustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of theinvention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed includingmany modifications without departing from the general scope hereinindicated and denoted, in the appended claim:

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

A nightgown comprising a body providedwwith a bodice and a unitaryskirt, and shoulder straps attached to said bodice, each of saidshoulder straps including an elongated, flexible shirred intermediateportion and spaced longitudinal elastic members secured to the sides of"said shirred portion by stitching with said elastic members in. astretched condition, said elastic members-being. normally, formed withcontracted lengths positioning the nightgown on the wearer and with acombined resistance to stretching sufficient to support the weight ofthe nightgown without stretching so that said straps elongate inresponse to increased tensioning thereof, said elastic members and saidshirred intermediate portion being secured at their ends adjacent thetop of the front and back portions of said bodice.

NORMAN GROBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

